Top-level horse racing from Ireland to Kentucky to Hong Kong on weekend schedule
The Preakness is the marquee event in weekend horse racing. Pimlico Race Course, Churchill Downs and Monmouth Park are supporting programs. It's Irish Guineas weekend at the Currah and Tokyo Racecourse hosts the Japanese Oaks. Sha Tin Racecourses has the final Group 1 event of the Hong Kong season.
Ethereal Road is the marquee name in Saturday's $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes for 3-year-olds at Pimlico. Rich Strike is a surprise winner of the race. B Dawk is 5-2 favorite. The older set goes in Friday's Grade III PIMlica Special at 1 3/8 miles. Todd Pletcher has the morning-line favorites.
Super Quick is the morning-line favorite for Friday's $150,000 Grade III Allaire du Pont Distaff Stakes at Pimlico. Adare Manor is 5-2 in Friday’s $250,00 Grade II Black-Eyed Susan Stake for 3-year-old fillies at the same track. Radio Days was second in the Grade 3 Beaumont at Keeneland and Distinctlypossible was runner-up in Grade I Alcibiades at Lexington. Luna Belle has won five straight stakes at Laurel Park. Beguine was a second place in Fantasy at Oaklawn Park and she won her return in April.
14 horses signed up for Saturday's $200,000 Grade III Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs. Set Piece is the 8-5 morning-line favorite in a seven-horse field for the $250,00 Dinner Party Stake at Pimlico. Stitched won Wednesday's Caesar's St.akes for 3-year-olds at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Saturday's $100,000 James W. Murphy Stakes for 3-year-olds at Pimlico has a couple interesting prospects. Joe makes his second start on the grass and first since his career debut. Ready to Perform makes first start since finishing up the track in an undercard stakes on Del Mar turf course on Breeders' Cup weekend.
Pizza Bianca is the morning-line pick in Friday's $100,000 Hilltop Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Technical Analysis and Crystal Cliffs are favored in a field of seven for Saturday's Grade III Gallorette Stake at Pimlico. Heavenly Halos won Wednesday's Horseshoe Indianapolis Staking.
Honey Pants is the early pick in a mostly aspirational but competitive field of 12 for Friday's $100,000 The Very One Stakes for fillies and mares at Pimlico. Carotari is morning-line favorite for Saturday's $ 100,00 Jim McKay Turf Sprint at the same venue.
Disco Pharoah is the morning-line favorite for Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Maryland Sprint Stakes at Pimlico. Whelen Springs and Cogburn finished 1-2 in the Bachelor in Arkansas in their last race.
There's a $150,000 Grade III Miss Preakness Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Pimlico on Friday. Saturday's $100,00 Skipat Stake for filly and mare at the same venue has a competitive field of 10.
Too Bad Justice came five-wide to get the lead in Wednesday's $100,000 Sagamore Stakes for Indiana-bred 3-year-olds and won by 1 1/2 lengths over Pickle Feet. Acutely pressed the pace in the $ 100,00 Swifty Sired Fillies Stake for state- bred 3 year old females and drew off to win by 4 1-2lengths.
Top-level horse racing from Ireland to Kentucky to Hong Kong is on the weekend schedule.
Stars on Earth and Circle of Life are the favourites for Sunday's Grade 1 Yushun Himba or Japanese Oaks at Tokyo Racecourse. Circle won the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies last year but finished fourth in the Oka Sho or the Japanese 1000 Guineas. Stars on earth won her second career race in Guinea.
Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup will be run without foreign competition. The field is short on experience at the 1 1/2 mile distance. There will also be limited fan attendance.
The next Group 1 events at Sha Tin will be the four races comprising the Longines Hong Kong International Races in December.
The Irish 2,000 Guineas and 1,00K Guines takes place on Saturday. Godolphin has a good chance in the 2k Guins, but it would be a blow to Godalton if Native Trail doesn't do well. Buckaroo is the most likely competitor in a field of eight. Aidan O'Brien is well armed in Sunday's fillies race. Lord North is favorite in provisional field for Sunday’s Group 1 Gold Cup.
